The incomparable St. Peter’s Basilica is the spiritual home of the Catholic Church
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The Vatican Museum is home to an extraordinary hoard of treasures collected over millenia
It’s actually a complex of several different museums in one
The highlight is the world-famous Sistine Chapel
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There’s also the stunning Gallery of Maps
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Pinacotheca Art Gallery
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You can also visit the Vatican’s exquisite gardens
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The Apostolic Palace is the Pope’s official residence
The Vatican and Pope are guarded by the famous ‘Swiss Guards’
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Last updated: 07 April, 2024
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Dominating Rome’s skyline, the Dome of St. Peters rises above Vatican City — the world’s smallest sovereign nation-state and Holy See of the Roman Catholic Church.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, within its borders (44 hectares) are St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Apostolic Palace, the Pope’s official residence.
See the pope
Each Sunday at noon (if he’s in town) the Pope appears at the second window to the right of the Apostolic Palace to bless the crowd. No tickets are required.
On Wednesdays at 10am, the Pope holds a general audience in St. Peter’s Square. Tickets are required and can be obtained through the Papal Event Tickets.
Commissioned by the wildly ambitious Pope Julius II, and completed in 1626, few buildings are as recognisable as this enormous, late-Renaissance basilica, majestically situated on St Peter’s Square.
As the burial site of Saint Peter, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles and, according to tradition, also the first Bishop of Rome and therefore the first pope – it is considered one of the holiest Catholic sites.
This complex of museums, in the home of the Catholic Church, are mind-bogglingly opulent. They’re home to one of the greatest hoards of treasure, antiquities and art anywhere.
Beautiful and uncrowded, the Vatican Gardens can be accessed on a walking tour. There are limited places per day, so you’ll need to book in advance on the Vatican website. Ticket includes entry to the Vatican Museums too. Monday to Saturday mornings, around 2 hours.
Adult price: £15
Good for age: 18+
Logistics
Price: Free
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
To get to Vatican City, take the Metro Line A (red line) towards Battistini and exit at Ottaviano-S. Pietro or Cipro-Musei Vaticani stops – both are equal walking distance from St. Peter’s Square (approx. 10-15 minutes).
An information office is located at the Charlemagne Wing (west end). An info desk can be found at the east end of the square.
Beware of ‘unofficial’ guides milling around the square pushing ‘Skip the Line’ tickets. The official tour service of the Vatican sells them online.
When to do it
High summer can be unbearably hot and humid in Rome, when the city throngs with tourists. Queues can be extremely long for the Vatican. If you are visiting then, try to go as early as possible in the morning (from 7am).
Spring or autumn are the best times for weather and less crowds, though the Easter holiday period, when pilgrims and school groups descend on the city, tends to be very busy.
Winter is a charming time to visit, especially around Christmas, and January and February can be mild – and lack the heavy crowds.
Who to go with: organised tours
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Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Why book this tour? You visit the Vatican once in a lifetime! Skip-the-line access means you’ll have more time to explore millennia of art and history within these hallowed walls without waiting in the long general admission lines.
In 3 hours, explore the highlights of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica in a small group.
Get straight inside with skip-the-line access to see a host of treasures of the Vatican City, all with enlightening storytelling from a passionate guide.
Dive into the Vatican’s must-see attractions with the highlights you absolutely can't leave Rome without. This tour has been specifically designed to get you inside as quickly as possible with skip-the-line entry.
This is the perfect tour for families traveling with small children or teens, people who "don't do" museum tours, or those who have limited time and want to see the Eternal City in less than an eternity.
The tour includes the big 3: Museums & the Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's!
Enjoy a semi-private Vatican tour with a maximum of six guests. With your expert guide and skip-the-line tickets, explore the Vatican Museums, experience the wonders of the Pinecone and Octagonal Courtyard and the Belvedere Torso.
Admire Constantine’s coffins and unique sculptures while learning about Church history, the Popes, and the artworks.
After this, it’s time to head over to see one of the stars of the tour – Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Admire the 8,000 square feet of this masterpiece standing in its center surrounded by paintings. After the Chapel and all its glory, your tour guide will take you towards your final stop, St. Peter’s Basilica* where you will enjoy exclusive access to the most immense and ornate Catholic church in the world. Visit one of the most stunning pieces of art in the basilica, Michelangelo’s statue of the Pietà, depicting the Virgin Mary holding her dying child in her arms.
Less than 1% of Vatican visitors ascend St. Peter's Dome, this is a remarkable statistic so for this reason we have decided to take it from the top! Meet your expert Vatican guide by St. Peter's Square. Sacred stairs (and an elevator) will carry you up to St. Peter's Terrace from where you will see all of Rome and even the Tyrrhenian Sea! Back on terra firma you will tour the entirety of St. Peter's Basilica too. Take a break before making the short walk to our Vatican meeting point for your second tour of the Vatican City and Sistine Chapel! Get fast track access to the masterpieces which make the Vatican Museums absolutely must-see when in Rome.
Embark on an extraordinary journey at the Vatican with this morning tour that includes an American-style breakfast inside the Vatican's Courtyard. You’ll explore the Vatican Museums before they open to the general public so you can admire famous sights like the Sistine Chapel in a more intimate atmosphere before finishing with skip-the-line access to St Peter’s Basilica through a reserved entrance.
Meet at our comfortable offices less than a block from the museum entrance. Join our small group Vatican tour in the early morning with a top-notch tour guide and get the earliest entrance available to the museums, Sistine Chapel & Raphael Rooms. In a small group, you will be able to discover with no rush the extraordinary abundance of history and art.
Your guide will tour you through these corridors and halls, pointing out the exhibits on display. Once through, the Sistine Chapel awaits you.
The finale of our early entry Vatican tours culminates in St. Peter’s Basilica. Majestic and inspired, it is the perfect place to come full circle on the morning’s itinerary. Feast your eyes on Michelangelo’s Pietà and admire the stunning interior of the dome he designed, as well as Bernini’s massive bronze baldachin sitting over the Pope’s private alter directly above St. Peter’s tomb and other little-known details that can only be spotted when inside!